15-Passenger Van Accidents

The warmer weather months in Tennessee certainly bring lots of plans for fun in the sun, including day trips to the beach, scenic hikes, and weekend trips to a sun drenched location of your choice. For those who may be planning a trip with family or a few friends, a popular means of transporting large groups are 15-passengers vans. Though these large vehicles are an excellent way to accommodate sizeable groups of Tennesseans, they present unique hazards that other vehicles do not.

With this in mind, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is encouraging anyone who may include a 15-passenger van in their travels, such as church groups or colleges, to take specific steps and safety measures to prevent a dangerous accident. The NHTSA offers these tips for safe 15-passenger van travel:

• Owners of these vans should have the vehicle regularly and thoroughly inspected. Steering and suspension components should be inspected according to the manufacturer’s suggested schedule and tires should be properly sized.
• These vehicles should never be overloaded, as it may increase the chances of a 15-passnger van rollover accident and make the vehicle unstable in handling maneuvers.
• Owners should check that any person who will be driving the van is licensed and has experience operating a 15-passenger van.
• Before the trip, drivers should check the van’s tires for proper inflation and to ensure there are no signs of wear and tear.
• If you are a passenger in a 15-passenger van, buckle up during the trip!

For owners and users of 15-passenger vans, following these simple tips can help ensure you and your passengers arrive safely to your destination. In the unfortunate event the negligence of another party does cause an accident, contact a Tennessee 15-passenger van accident attorney with Massey & Associates, P.C. to discuss your legal rights and options. Our legal team can help you obtain compensation for your injuries and losses. Schedule a free consultation by calling (423) 697-4529.

Recently, a 14-year-old resident of Columbia, Tennessee, lost her life and eleven other people were injured when the 15-passenger church van they were riding in overturned on I-40 near Waverly, according to a recent report in The Tennessean.

The group was coming back from an all-night sleepover event at a Memphis, Tennessee, church. They were on their way back to Destiny Church in Columbia with a total of 12 people inside the van, including the 24-year-old driver. Police suspect that the driver nodded off at the wheel, and lost control of the van on an I-40 ramp. The van rolled over, becoming partly crushed in the process. The 14-year-old girl, who was not wearing a seat belt, was unfortunately sitting in one of the areas of the van that was crushed in the rollover.

The rest of the van’s passengers and its driver were taken to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The three admitted to the medical center are in stable condition, while those taken to the children’s hospital remain in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesperson.

Fifteen-passenger vans are commonly used by churches and similar groups. Although they look like standard passenger vehicles, they pose hidden hazards because their length and weight make them especially likely to roll over in a crash, which can easily claim passengers’ lives. If you have been injured in an accident that involved such a vehicle, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced Tennessee 15-pasenger van accident lawyers at Massey & Associates, P.C., to learn more about your legal rights. For a free and confidential consultation about your case, call 423-697-4529 today.

Fifteen-passenger vans are often used by businesses and social groups when a group is too large to travel by car or minivan but too small to justify using a full-sized bus. However, 15-passenger vans pose a large risk of rolling over, especially when they are fully loaded. In order to help drivers avoid 15-passenger van rollover accidents in Tennessee and across the nation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) provides information and safety tips to drivers of these large vans.

Since 2004, the NHTSA has required makers of 15-passenger vans to install an electronic stability control system. These systems are also used on large trucks and buses and are designed to help reduce the chances of the vehicle rolling over by improving its stability. However, 15-passenger vans are not likely to have this system if they were made before 2004, making them more likely to roll than newer vans.

The NHTSA warns drivers that they should always be aware of the risk of rollover, which increases the more a van is filled with passengers and/or cargo. Vans should always be loaded with as much of the weight in front of the rear axle as possible, and passengers should always wear their seat belts at all times.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a 15-passenger van accident, the experienced Tennessee 15-passenger van accident lawyers at Massey & Associates, P.C, can help you understand your legal rights and hold any negligent parties accountable for their actions. For a free and confidential consultation, call us today 423-697-4529.